Boiler-tube cleaner.



L. E. JILLSON & E. WILLIAMS.

BOILER TUBE CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED JULY I2. 1917.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE E. JILLSON, OF HARTFORD, AN D ELIJ'AH WILLIAMS, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

' BOILER-TUBE CLEANER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEE E. Jnmsor: and ELIJAH \VILLIAMS, citizens of the United States, residing at Hartford and New Haven, respectively, in the counties of Hartford and New Haven, respectively, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Tube Cleaners,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what we shall for convenience term a boiler-tube cleaner, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and eflective article of this character which in operation will efiectually remove all particles which adhere to the inside of tubes in water-tube boilers. In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification we have shown in detail one convenient form of embodiment of the invention which will be set forth fully in the following description to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. We do not limit ourselves to this particular disclosure; we may depart therefrom inseveral respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claim following said description.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a cleaner involving the invention showing the same in a tube, the arrow indicating the direction of motion of the head. I

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the cleaner as seen from the right in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections on the lines 33 and 44 respectively of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows applied to the respective lines.

Like characters refer to like parts through- .out the several views.

I As may be inferred from the observations already made, a cleaner involving the invention is susceptible of advantageous use in various connections, although it is of particular utility however, in the clean' of tubes, being adapted to efi'ectuall and tioroughly remove deposits which ad ere to the walls or inner surfaces thereof. In Fig. 1 we have shown in section a boiler tube as 2, the cleaner in this particular view being inclosed by the tube. Said cleaner involves in its make-up a body as 3, which is longitudinally tapered, an element of importance, as thereby and owing to the peculiar mountin of the cleanermembers, we are enabled to thoroughly'remove deposits within a tube Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

Application filed July 12, 1917. Serial No.' 180,190.

such as 2. The body tapers from its head toward its tail or foot end, the head in the present case being the large end. Fitted against the head or large end of the body 3 is a plate or disk as 4, this plate or disk constituting a support or thrust bearing for the shafts or pins which carry the cleaning mem-' bers hereinafter more particularly described. The plate 4. is held to the head end of the body 3, for instance by the threaded shank 5 provided with an enlarged portion or hub 6. The disk or plate 4 as shown is centrally perforated to comparatively freely IQCQlWE the shank 5 which is threaded into the head portion of the tapered body 3, the boss or hub 6 fitting fiatwise against the plate or disk to securely hold the same in position. This boss or hub 6 as shown is interiorly threaded to receive the reduced extension 7 on the forward end of the shaft 8 which shaft is generally rotated by some suitable power ordinarily an air driven motor to turn The diameter of the I the cleaner in the tube. disk or plate 4 is approximately equal to the internalv diameter of the tube, although this may not in all cases be necessary. The rear reduced end of the body 3 is engaged by a plate as 9 which is centrally perforated to receive the screw or threaded stud 10 extending from the small end of the body 3. As shown this threaded stud or screw 10 which is ordinarily integral with the body 3 fits the internally threaded opening in the practically spherical head 11 which when in operative position abuts flatwise against the rear small end of the tapered or frusto-conica-l body 3. This head 11 has upon it the fin 12, the outer surface 13 of which is upon a back bevel to present a cutting edge. The spherical head 11 in addition to the fin 12 is furnished with the lugs or ears 14 diametrically opposite each other and midway between the or ways 16", there being three of suchways or.

slots, although this is in all cases not necessary. Set in the slots or ways 16 are the pins 17 there being obviously three of such pins. The end portions of the pins are dis posed in slots elongated radially of the body 3. From this it will be clear that the pins 17 can move bodily or float in the respective pairs of slots 18. It will be understood that the terminals of said pins 17 fit against the plates 4 and 9 already described, although the engagement is not suflicient as to prevent ready movement of the pins as they should accommodate themselves automatically to the sediment being removed. Each pincarries a group of toothed wheels 19, the wheels being individually freely rotative on the respective pins 17 and extending practically fromthe ends of the chamber 15 or which is the same thing, the ends of the respective slots 16. Each of the wheels 19 has a multiplicity of teeth, and one or more of the teeth project at all times beyond the periphery or circumference of the longitudinally tapered body 3. In action the cleaner Will be introduced in a tube and advanced toward the right in Fig. 1, the body 3 as is understood and necessarily the head 11 connected therewith, being rotated in the direction of the arrow applied to the shaft 8 in said Fig. 1. As the body turns the knives or cutters 12 and 14 cut into the matter which adheres to the wall of the tube and preliminarily loosen up or disintegrate the same so as to render the tube capable of being more readily and easily subsequently cleaned by the pointed toothed wheels or cutters 19.

said body having slots leading from the chamber and extending to the periphery thereof, groups of independently rotative toothed cleaning members, independent shafts on which the groups of cleaner members are respectively mounted, the shafts extending longitudinally of the body and converging forwardly on lines agreeing ap proximately with the angularity of the taper of the bod each of said shafts being movable transversely of the body at both ends thereof and the cleaner members being located practically wholly within the body and their toothed portions extending a short distance across the periphery thereof.

' Intestimony whereof we afiix our signatures in the presence of witnesses LE E. JILLSOlI. ELIJAH WILLIAMS.

Witnesses to signature of Lee E. J illson:

EMMA G. GEDNEY, HEATH SUTHERLAND.

Witnesses to signatureof Elijah Williams HARRY V. SANTRY, KATHERINE C. SANTRY, 

